H. Buchner’s contribution in fermentation

After the discovery of fermentation by Pasteur who also showed that fermentation is far less energy yielding process than aerobic respiration, H. Buchner came out with a very important accidental discovery. Pasteur’s work had showed that fermentations are “vital processes” playing important role of basic physiological importance in the life of many cells. H. Buchner in order to prevent grounded yeast cells kept along with sand from decaying added sugar solutions to it. Astonishingly he found that CO2 formation was taking place, which suggest that grounded dead yeast cells can also ferment sugar solution i.e. the cell free extract of yeast can cause fermentation like the live cell. This is a revolution in Biochemistry & led to the belief that every biochemical process be made possible outside the cell. And thus the chemists came well at last. Their earlier theory that fermentation is a chemical process is actually true. The only difference is the presence of biological enzymes making the reaction possible at physiological temperature.